The home of Edna Mae Owens was damaged Jan. 15 by a fire that began in a utility room.

Hodgenville, LaRue, Buffalo and Magnolia firefighters were dispatched to a brick house on North Summit Avenue about 8:20 p.m.

Hodgenville Fire Chief Wally Sparks said the utility room – containing washer, dryer and electric panel – was reached by going outside the main house. The room was extensively damaged; however, the main house escaped most of the smoke and water damage.

When Hodgenville Fire Chief Wally Sparks and other volunteer firefighters for the city responded to a house fire last week, they were wearing “borrowed” gear from LaRue County. Although he has been chief since 2011, “LCFD” is lettered on the back of his jacket.

That could be a thing of the past as City Council has agreed to invest in purchasing turnout gear for the department. Nine sets of turnout gear – which includes helmet, gloves, pants and boots – will cost $23,341. Five air packs will boost the total to $36,341.

The seventh-grader at Bardstown Middle hoped to escape a group of older girls who had bullied and harassed her online and at school, her parents say. Transferring seemed their only choice to end the harassment after reports to school officials didn’t stop the problems.

But the night before her last day, Reagan took a handful of pills after she was harassed one last time during a middle school basketball game.

Freezing weather predicted over the next few days is a good reminder to prepare for winter. Frozen pipes are the second most common cause of home insurance claims in the U.S. according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Pipes that are either inadequately insulated or exposed to outside temperatures can freeze, rupture, and cause costly damage.

The nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes recommends the following six inexpensive tips to ensure your home is well insulated. These steps will protect your home, save energy, and save you money too.